Vehicle-tire.



L. HAY.

VEHICLE TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED 0501111914.

1,160,508. Patented Nov. 16,1915.

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-.WASHINOTDN. D c

menses.

hurra s ra rns rarsnfr enrich 5 LEWIS HAY; or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

l VEHICLE-TIRE.

useful improvements in vehicle tires, and

has particular reference to that type of-tire adapted especially for use in connection with automobiles. V

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved form of tire in which the customary inner tube now inuse is disunused with and the onlyair cushion employed is the confined volume of air, which is lllOlOSGtl within the shoe or. tread'of the tire.

An additional ob ectis to .subst1tute for the air cushion ordinarily employedin automobile tires aresilient element which con-' sists in a plurality of substantially U-shaped springswhich are arranged in pairs around the rim of the wheel and are circumferentially spaced from each other. i

A still further object is to provide .an encircling band or rim .of metal which is riveted or otherwise secured to the spring members at their outer terminals for holding them in the desired spaced relation to each other and for preventing distortion or displacement of the springs as a result of the tangental thrust to which they are subjected in the use of the tire. 1

The above and other incidental objects of a similar nature which will be hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims, which are appended hereto and form a part of this application. I q

/Vith reference to the drawings wherein there has been illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure, 1 is a section taken transversely through the tire and wheel rim. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken longitudinally through the tire. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a wheel segment, the rim being shown in section and the springs in elevation Specification of Letters Patent.

the middle of the tire.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed December 11, 1914;" Serial No.'876,657.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the tire includes as its essential element of construction a. plurality of transversely disposed spring sections A, a reinforcing and connecting rim B, and a shoe C which incloses the membersli and B. The spring sections A are all similar in construction and it is deemed necessary therefore to describe only one of them in detail; Reference willtherefore now be had particularly to Figs. 1 and 2. Upon reference to these figures it will be seen that eachspring section consists of two substantially U-shaped springs 10 and 11, which are formed of relatively light spring steel and arenested one within the other. The bight portions 12 of the members 10 and 11 areseparated more widely than are the arm portions. The arm portions are gradually brought together at theirinnertermi nals as shown in Fig.1, and the extreme terminal port-ions are enlarged laterally, as

indicated atll (Fig. 2 The ends of the arm'portions are'flatly engaged against each other and bent outwardly at right angles forming the attachingears 13; These attaching ears 13 of th springs are secured by bolts, rivets'or any'other equivalent fasteningfdevices 1-I within recesses 15 which are formed in the rim 16 of the wheel adjacent theouter edges thereof. I

In order toprevent undue flexing of the side or arm portions of the springs 10 and 11 in each set, I have'provided for each section or "set of springs a pairof spacer blocks 17 and 18. These members 17 and 18 are substantially wedge shaped and may be formed of wood, rubberoid, steel or any other composition which is found desirable for the purpose. In use it has been found preferable to make the spacer blocks of such lengths that their outer terminals extend to In practice it has been found expedient to form themembers 17 and 18 of steel strips which are welded to the side or arms of the springs and thus securely held in the proper position. In this manner the adjacent arm portions of the springs and the interposed spacer block are bound together as a unit which is strong enough to withstand all strains and stresses towhich it is subjected.

It will now. be noted particularly upon reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings that the in fact channel shaped. This rim B engages the outer faces of the utermost springs 11 oi the several sets of-springs and 1s preferably secured thereto by rivets or. welding, although any equivalent fastening devices may be substituted. It will be obse'rved uponreferenceto the drawings that the member B serves not only toxprovide a substantial supporting surface for the tread portion ofthe shce or cas-ing'C- butthat it also :serves to connect the 'spring sections in 'volving v such manner that they may not be distorted as a result of the tangential thrust put upon them While thewheels of the "vehicle arere a plain that-theitire may bepemployed With any form of automobile'wlieel rim now in use,ffor therecesses 15 can of c'ourse be formedatthef edges of any Wheel rim of standard construction: v

I now desire to direct particular attention to"-the fact that my tire'is sim'plein construction andf'may therefore be made at a, relatively low manufacturingcost, and that it is so designed and'assembledthat itvwill be capable of withstanding fora considerable lengthof time all the stress and strains I a to which it is; subjecte'd'while in use and that it'willnot be open to thevliability; of

puncturing as in the; case of present a day pneumatic t1res;

Copies of this" pat ent niay be obtained for In reduction to practice, I ha'Ve found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is

the most efficient and practical; yet, realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of mydevice will necessarily vary, 7

I desire to emphasize the fact that various m1n.0r changes indetails of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, WhQIl required, Without sacrificing-iany of the advantages of my invention';-as defined in the appended claims lvhatds claimed is: I i 1, Ayehicle tire including acasing, a plurality ofsubstantially U-shaped spring menu bers arranged Within the-casing, saidspring members being arrangedin pairs, theindividual springsof each pair being nested, means connecting the adjacent terminals of the-individual springs of each pair, and supporting blocks disposed between the arm pain and secured tliereto.

25 In combination, a Wheel run, a plurality of transversely arranged spring units portions of the individual springs ot each disposed in spaced relation around said rim,

eaclrof'said units comprising a pair of arcu-' ate resilient .membersdisposed one inside the other and spaced apart at the center,said

member'shaving their ends out-turned and enlarged laterally, supporting blocks disposedibetwe'en said resilientmembers, one

at each side of each unit, and means extenda units circumferentially;

Intestimony whereof, I the said -LEWIS Hafha'vehereunto set my hand. y

' LEWIS HAY.

' lVitnesses ,C. L; LANDON, 11 B; HUMPHRIES.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,-D. ()3! I c 7 t mg around'said rim forconnecting vsaid 

